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Vol. 9, No. 11 – March 2 – March 15, 2016 – Mailbox

Are you aware of the repair to the Ventura Promenade that is happening currently? Three of the palm-trios have not survived the recent storms and ocean rise. So, Ventura is dutifully now working on moving rip-rap and boulders to protect what is left of the walk/bicycle path.

Also, the cobblestones brought in to protect the Walk are now distributed along the shoreline and past the Pier. There is not much beach left.

Who says there is no Global Warming?

Suzanna Ballmer

This is in response to Breeze publisher’s comments in last issue regarding the WAV.

Sheldon:

You may not be aware that the WAV theatre-gallery is always open on First Fridays and offers visitors brochures with maps of studio locations as well as a large board with pushpins showing which studios are open.

WAV as a group has taken part in other city wide venues including all the Art Walks (and we pay the necessary fee to be listed in their promotional materials). We display our art works in the WAV gallery and other galleries and venues as well. As individuals, we have our own projects. Several of our musical groups perform regular gigs here and on the outside

Among events last year at the WAV, there was a several weeks’ long charitable event “Earth Spirit” with a juried art exhibit and numerous guest speakers for the environment. This was filmed and will soon be a documentary.

I have new works in my studio not yet in my web site. So perhaps you’ll pop over to see them next time you visit the WAV.

Yours sincerely,
Frances Spencer
WAV resident artist/playwright

Breeze

The real winner of Super Bowl 50 were those who saw and heard Lady Gaga sing our National Anthem.

As the members of our military forces stood at attention and our fighter planes flew overhead, we for a few brief moments were a young nation again. We felt what it was like to be free, to be powerful, to overcome all odds, to endeavor to be great and to achieve greatness.

And for a few brief moments, the vision of George Washington, General of the Army of the Potomac stood at Valley Forge in the midst of his men, in the middle of a brutally cold winter.

With bloody feet and lack of food, they continued to fight on, when, as Rudyard Kipling wrote; “when there was nothing left within them except, the will, to hold on”.

And for a few brief moments, we were the men and women who crossed the great plains of this nation in covered wagons and held our children at night, not knowing whether they would be safe, and in the morning drove past the skeletons along the trail of those who did not make it.

And for a few brief moments, we saw our soldiers braving the hazards of the war in Europe and in Asia and the memory of those Marines who raised our flag on Iowa Jima came to mind.

And then, for a few brief moments, we pictured the rows of crosses in France, row upon row, where American blood was shed In order to defend the world against Nazi terrorism.

And for a few brief moments we realized what it was like to feel good, to know what it meant to be an American.

And for those few brief moments it made no difference who you were, whether you were rich or poor, or the color of your skin, for in those few brief moments, we were all one, we were Americans.

And thank you Lady Gaga, for those few brief moments, let us never let go of those feelings. You awakened in this nation what the politicians cannot do, the awareness of what made this country great.

And as you so beautifully sang: “Oh say does that Star – Spangled Banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave”, you rekindled our belief, once again, in the promise of America.

David Pies

Citizens for SOAR renewal

If you are like me, sometimes you are in a hurry and duck out of your favorite store or meeting place to avoid signature gathers with petitions. I just want to alert everyone that for the next two weeks you might want to pause and take the time to sign the SOAR initiatives, which stand for Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources. You need to sign two–the one for Ventura County and one for your City, signing your name the way you are registered to vote, in order to get SOAR on the November 2016 ballot.

By signing the petition you make it possible for people to vote on whether or not protected agricultural land or open space areas can be rezoned for development. This does not stop development, but gives citizens the choice to decide yes or no.

The current City and County SOAR initiatives are set to expire at different times. This new initiative will renew SOAR and get all the SOAR initiatives throughout the County on the same schedule, with the uniform sunset date of 2050.

Given the limited water and land resources in our cities and county, and increasing pressures for development, it is important to let voters weigh in on whether converting agricultural or open space land is in the best interest of the community at large.

This is an all-volunteer grassroots signature gathering effort. The people with petitions are your friends and neighbors who are all taking time out of their own busy lives to help renew the Ventura County SOAR initiatives.

So, as you are rushing to complete errands or chauffeuring kids to their next engagement, please take a few moments to help these SOAR signature-gathers give us a say in whether our communities should rezone land for more development. This is a democratic means to preserve our valuable open space and agricultural resources now and in the future.

Diane Underhill

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. ~ George Bernard Shaw